schutz



c. SCHUTZ.

LATCHING MECHANISM. I APPLICATION FILED APR. I6. um.

,3 1 5, 99 l Patented Sept. 16, .1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

c. SCHUTZ.

LATCHING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. ISIB.

1,315,991. Pamedsept. 16,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CONRAD SCHTZ, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LATCHING MECHANISIVL Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented. sept. 1e, 191e.

Application led April 16, 1918. `Serial No. 229,854.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CONRAD Scrrili'rz, a citizen of the United States,residing 1n the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and `Stateof Pennsylvania, have .1n vented certain Improvements in LatchingMechanisms, of which the following is a specication.

This invention is a latching mechanism adapted for general use butdesigned particularly for use with refrigerator doors, and its primaryVpurpose is to provide, a fastener of' simple and efhcient characterwhich is applicable to either a right or a left hand door.

The characteristic features of my improvements will appear from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings in illustrationthereof.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is front elevation of an embodiment of myinvention applied to door and jamb sections; Fig. 2 is a sectional viewon the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3of Fig. 2; Fig. 4. is a side elevation of the detached keeper; Fig. 5 isa sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a front elevationof a modified form of my invention; Fig. 7 is a sectional view on theline 7--7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig.7 and Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, a door section A has fixedthereto a base 1 from which project bearings 2, 2 having journaledtherein the shaft 3. A .collar 1, fixed to the shaft by a set screw L1',is provided with a lug 5 containing recesses 5 in which are engaged theends 6 of springs 6, the latter being coiled on studs 7 fixed to thebase and having ends 6 bearing against the farther studs 8 fixed to thebase. Studs or a split stud 9 is fixed to the base between the ends 6and limits their inward movements. The springs 6 tend to hold the lug 5in its median position.

The shaft 3 has fixed on the end thereof beyond the standard 2, an arm10 provided with a bearing 11 on which is journaled a roller 12. Ahandle 13 is held by a set screw 13 on the shaft 3, either in theposition shown in Fig. 1 or in the reverse position when the device isreversed for use on a reversely hung door, the handle being removable byloosening the set screws e and 13 so as to permit the shaft to be movedlongitudinally through the bearing 2.

Stops 14E on the base 1 are adapted for engaging the handle topositively limit its movement and the movement of the arm 10.

A lever 31a, fulcruined on the bearing 32EL forming ai part of the base,is adapted to be rocked -by the push rod 311 which is pivotallyconnected thereto and extends through the base and the door, theopposite end of the lever acting between the parts of the split stud 9.A link 31c connects the lever with either of the lugs 4 on the collar 1-so that by operating the push rod 31" and rocking the lever 31a theshaft 3 and the arm 10 are rocked, either to the right or left,depending on the connection of the link.

A keeper 15, fixed to the j amb l, is provided with an arrow-head orrl-shaped cam 16 having oppositely inclined bearing surfaces`17 andshoulders 18 partially closing recesses 19 in the keeper. A cover plate15 may be used to complete the closure of a recess 19 when not in use.

ln operation, with the mechanism in the position shownin Fig. 1, theclosure of the door brings the roller 12 into contact with the lowerinclined surface 17 of the keeper 15, the arm lO being defiected therebyagainst the action of the lower spring 6, until the roller passes thecam 16 and enters the lower recess 19, when the recoil of the springmoves the roller to position under the shoulder 17, thereby latching thedoor. To open the door, the handle 13 is pulled or the rod 31b is pushedoutwardly to rotate the shaft 3 and move the roller 12 beyond theshoulder 17, thereby permitting the withdrawal of the roller from therecess and the opening of the door.

lft will be understood that to apply the mechanism to a right hand door,it is only necessary to invert such mechanism and reverse the handle 13by loosening its set screw and the set screw lf sufficiently to permitthe withdrawal of the shaft 3 from its bearing, the connection of thelink 31 being reversed and the plate 15 being reversed if used.

As shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, the base 20 has thereon. two pairsof bearings 21, 21 in which are journ'aled the parallel shafts 22, 22.Collars 23, 23 are fixed on the respective shafts by set screws 33 andhave depending lugs 241, 2e containing recesses 21 in which are engagedfree ends of springs 25 fixed to lugs 26 at the rear of the base andheld in adjustable relation to the parts 24: and 24 by means of setscrews 27 carried by the lugs 28 on the base.

The collar 23 contains a recess 23a and the collar 28 is provided with atooth 23b eX- tending into the recess, whereby the collars are gearedtogether and the shafts moved in unison.

rlhe shafts 22 and 22 have fixed on the ends thereof the respective arms28, 28 on whose 'bearings 28L and 28b are journaled rollers 29, 29. Theshafts are operable in unison by a handle 30 fixed by a set screw 30 onthe shaft 22 when the mechanism is used as in the drawing, or to theshaft 22 when the mechanism is to be used in the reverse position on areversely hung door.

A lever 31, fulcrumed on a bearing 32, has at one end a recess 81 inwhich the tooth 23b is engaged, and at the other end is pivotallyconnected with a push rod 32 which extends through the base 20 and thedoor A to permit the operation of the latching mechanism to open thedoor from the inside.

This form of latching mechanism is used with the keeper 15, described,but the cover plate 15 is omitted from the keeper, and when the door isclosed the rollers 26, 26 simultaneously engage both inclined surfaces17 of the cam 16 and the arms 28 are moved in opposite directions,against the actions of the springs 25, until they enter the openings 19,when they are moved together by the action of the springs and engage therollers 29 under the shoulders 17. To unlatch the door, the handle 30 orthe push rod 38 is operated to rock the shafts 22 and 22 and spread thearms 28 and 28 so that the rollers 29 and 29 clear the shoulders 17.

It will be understood that to adapt this form of construction to anoppositely hinged door, it is only necessary to reverse the handle andapply it to the shaft 21', which is readily done by loosening the setscrews therein and in the collars 28, 28.

Having described my invention, l claim:

1. ln a device of the character described, the combination with a keeperand a base having bearings thereon, of a shaft `iournaled in saidbearings, said shaft having an arm thereon adapted for engaging saidkeeper and a spring mounted on said base and connected with said shaftfor etlecting the engagement of said arm with said keeper.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a keeperand a. base having bearings thereon, of a spring mounted on said base,and a shaft ournaled in said bearings, said shaft having an arm forengaging said keeper and a lug for engaging said spring.

3. In a device of the character' described, the combination with akeeper having oppositely inclined surfaces and means opposite eachsurface for engaging a. latch, of a hase having bearings thereon,rocking means journaled in said bearings, said rocking means havinglatching means fixed thereto, and resilient means mounted on said baseand adapted for acting in opposite directions to return said rocking andlatching means from their deflected to normal position in lockingengagement with said keeper.

4t. In a device of the character described, the combination with akeeper, of a, base provided with bearings, springs mounted on said base,a shaft iournaled in said bearings, said shaft having thereon a latchingdevice adapted for engaging said keeper and a lug acting between theends of said springs, and a handle on said shaft for operating it.

In testimony whereof, have hereunto set my name this 15th day of April,1918.

CONRAD SCHUTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner oi Patents, Washington, D. C.

